Abstract:

Approximately one third of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia do not achieve adequate symptom control with standard antipsychotic
drugs (APs). Some of these may prove responsive to clozapine, but non-response to APs remains an important clinical problem
and cause of increased health care costs.

The cannabis plant synthesises a large number of pharmacologically active compounds unique to it known as phytocannabinoids. In contrast
to the euphoric and pro-psychotic effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), certain non-intoxicating phytocannabinoids have
emerged in pre-clinical and clinical models as potential APs. Since the likely mechanism of action does not rely upon dopamine D2 receptor
antagonism, synergistic combinations with existing APs are plausible.

The anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of the non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) are well established
and are summarised below. Preliminary data reviewed in this paper suggest that CBD in combination with a CB1 receptor neutral antagonist
could not only augment the effects of standard APs but also target the metabolic, inflammatory and stress-related components of the
schizophrenia phenotype.

Abstract:Approximately one third of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia do not achieve adequate symptom control with standard antipsychotic
drugs (APs). Some of these may prove responsive to clozapine, but non-response to APs remains an important clinical problem
and cause of increased health care costs.

The cannabis plant synthesises a large number of pharmacologically active compounds unique to it known as phytocannabinoids. In contrast
to the euphoric and pro-psychotic effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), certain non-intoxicating phytocannabinoids have
emerged in pre-clinical and clinical models as potential APs. Since the likely mechanism of action does not rely upon dopamine D2 receptor
antagonism, synergistic combinations with existing APs are plausible.

The anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of the non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) are well established
and are summarised below. Preliminary data reviewed in this paper suggest that CBD in combination with a CB1 receptor neutral antagonist
could not only augment the effects of standard APs but also target the metabolic, inflammatory and stress-related components of the
schizophrenia phenotype.